Socrates, the father of Western philosophy, lived in ancient Athens and was known for his Socratic irony and method. He never wrote down his opinions, but his views are still discussed today. He was convicted and sentenced to death for corrupting youth and worshiping false gods. Plato’s writings about Socrates are the main source of information about him, but a satirical play called Clouds also portrayed him.
When we speak of Socrates, we must distinguish between the historical person and the figurative one, i.e. Plato’s Socrates. In any case, Socrates can perhaps be considered the father of Western philosophy. His influence can be found in virtually all philosophical works and his views are still discussed and debated today.
The historical man lived in ancient Athens from 470 to 399 BC He was a very well known philosopher during his lifetime but made a living as a stonemason. As a philosopher, it is remarkable that Socrates never wrote down any of his opinions. For this reason, what is known about him and his philosophy must be deduced from the works of other ancient philosophers such as Xenophon, Aristotle and above all Plato, who wrote about him after his death. The only known work produced about Socrates during his lifetime was a fictional play called Clouds.
It is widely accepted that Socrates lived an honorable and virtuous life. He lived meticulously by the laws of his state and was a firm believer in justice. He believed that virtue was knowledge and famously stated that “The unexamined life is not worth living.” In spite of his noble character, Socrates underwent many criticisms which eventually led to his condemnation and subsequent death.
Socrates was egregiously disliked by the prestigious citizens of Athens. This was due to what is now called Socratic irony and the Socratic method. Socratic irony means that one feigns ignorance to expose another’s false beliefs during an argument. The Socratic method refers to a series of questions and answers that are intended to analyze, test, or define a particular concept.
The philosopher was famous for stating that the only thing he knew was that he knew nothing, hence the Socratic irony. He has made it his mission to interrogate all the self-styled sages of Athens to learn from them through the Socratic method. By questioning him, Socrates intended to clarify the lack of logic in their beliefs. This proved extremely embarrassing and deflating for his aristocratic contemporaries. However, the young people of Athens found deflation extremely entertaining and fascinating, and it gained a large following.
Public contempt for Socrates eventually led to his conviction on vague charges that he was guilty of corrupting youth and worshiping false gods. Plato’s Apology is thought to be a meticulous word-for-word record of the man’s trial and death, explaining these allegations and his defense. Socrates passively accepted his sentence and death sentence due to his commitment to the law. He died at the age of 71 of hemlock poisoning, despite the opportunity to escape into exile with the help of his friends.
Socrates was teacher and mentor of the great philosopher Plato. When we speak of the figurative man, we refer to the writings of Plato’s Socrates, in which it is the character who expresses Plato’s views. In many of Plato’s books, such as The Republic, Crito and Phaedrus, he is the interlocutor or speaker. While we cannot be sure which opinions written by Plato actually belonged to the other man, much of his character and style is thought to have been preserved.
The figurative Socrates also appears as the protagonist of an ancient satirical drama. Clouds, written by the Greek poet Aristophanes, was written and made during his lifetime. The game made fun of the man, just as other philosophers merged into his character. According to Plato, Socrates was extremely annoyed by the portrayal of Aristophanes. Despite Clouds’ satirical nature, scholars believe that part of Socrates’ character in the play was true to the historical nature of him.
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